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Firefighters continue to work on hot spots along the boardwalk in Seaside Park, as business owners come to grips with another devastating loss after nearly a year of rebuilding. NBC10's Chris Cato reports. (Published Friday, Jan 17, 2014)

Updated at 3:10 PM PST on Friday, Jan 17, 2014

The ATF is now leading the investigation to find out the cause of a massive fire that ripped through a Jersey Shore town ravaged by Superstorm Sandy just a year ago.

Flames spread rapidly along the boardwalk in Seaside Park and neighboring Seaside Heights Thursday, devastating an estimated 30 businesses in a span of several blocks. An official said Thursday that just two buildings --the Saw Mill Café and part of an arcade -- on that stretch of the boardwalk survived.

"It Just Looks Like A Bomb Went Off"

“It’s just devastating to the area. It’s just heartbreaking to see" Larken said. "After what we just went to almost a year ago, and now this. I’m just in disbelief and shock over this. I can’t believe it, "

The area of the boardwalk between Stockton and Farragut Avenues, in front of Funtown Pier, was not destroyed during Superstorm Sandy, but the pier itself was.

Local officials estimate the damage from the fire will be in the millions.

“The resiliency that was demonstrated before will be called upon again to rebuild this section of the town and the commerce on the boardwalk," Seaside Park Mayor Bob Matthies.

Strong winds, whipping at speeds of 30 to 40 mph, fueled the fire and complicated the efforts of the 400-plus firefighters who responded to the scene Thursday. Crews contained the fire seven hours after it started, according to Seaside Heights Police Chief Thomas Boyd. But about 80 firefighters were still on scene as of 8 a.m. Friday, extinguishing hot spots. That effort was aided by a final soaking of heavy rain as a storm moved off the coast just before 6 a.m

Firefighters Battling Boardwalk Blaze Extinguish Nearby Condo Fire

Ocean County Fire Chief Brian Gabrial says a fire that broke out at a condo five blocks from the boardwalk fire, could have burned out of control like the boardwalk fire. (Published Friday, Sep 13, 2013)

The crews cut a 20-foot wide trench by ripping out a portion of the boardwalk at Ocean Avenue and another at Lincoln Avenue Thursday, in the hopes of stopping the fire from spreading.

But flames quickly moved over the Ocean Avenue trench, forcing firefighters to head towards Lincoln Ave.

Dozens of Businesses Destroyed in Fire

It was there that they were able to contain the blaze by filling that trench with giant sand piles -- makeshift dunes that helped halt the fire from moving any farther into Seaside Heights.

Embers from the fire blew for at least eight blocks, igniting a fire at the nearby Royal Sands Condominium complex at Sumner Avenue and Ocean Terrace that was quickly put out. Those embers also landed on area homes and businesses. New Jersey Natural Gas isolated gas service just to the boardwalk area in an effort to keep the fire from spreading to homes in the area.

6-Alarm Fire Rips Through Boardwalk in Seaside Park

An estimated 80% of the boardwalk is destroyed in one of Superstorm Sandy's hardest-hit towns. NBC10's George Spencer reports from the scene. (Published Thursday, Sep 12, 2013)

Nancy O’Brien, who runs EJ’s Dance Club about a mile and a half from the fire, told NBC10 that her eyes were burning and that the air was "acidy."

With the fire contained, a team that includes local police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and representatives from the Ocean County prosecutor's office as well as Camden County's prosecutor's office and Ocean County's Fire Marshal is moving forward with its investigation of the fire. They have not been able to work at the actual scene because it is too hot still.

Flames Tear Through Funtown Pier

Christine Hemingway, who was working inside Kohr's Thursday afternoon, said it appeared as if the smoke was rising from underneath the boardwalk.

"Our manager came running through the stand and said 'get out,'" Hemingway said. "We go around the corner in front of Biscayne Candy and there was smoke coming up from the boardwalk. There was a little smoke and then all of a sudden, it got real thick and black."

RAW: Part of Funtown Pier Collapses

Funtown Pier in Seaside Park was destroyed during Superstorm Sandy. What was left standing is now fully engulfed in flames. NBC10 cameras were rolling as part of the structure on the pier collapsed. (Published Thursday, Sep 12, 2013)

A dispatcher for Seaside Fire Radio also received a report that the fire was coming from underneath the boardwalk.

RAW: Fire Burns Along N.J. Boardwalk

Fire burns along the boardwalk in Seaside Park, Ocean County. This section of the boardwalk was not destroyed during Superstorm Sandy, but is now engulfed in flames. The fire appears to have started at Kohr's Ice Cream Shop. (Published Thursday, Sep 12, 2013)